Broom-tensioning device



Sept, 23, 1924.

` s. G. WILSON RooM TENsIoNING DEVICE Filed March 16 1922 `2 Sneetgrsheet g ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 23, i924...

UNITED STATES STEPHEN Gr. -QIILSOLQ, OF PHILABELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BROOM-TENSIONING: DEVICE.

Application led March i6, 1922.

To all who/nt t may concern.'

Be it known that I, STEPHEN G. WILSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing` in the city and county of l'hiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful lroomffensioning Device. of which the following is a specication.

My present invention comprehends a novel broom tensioning device. Vthen one side of the broom is used for heavy sweeping, such as for example porches and pavements, the broom straws are less resilient and harder than they are when the opposite side of the broom .is used for indoor or light sweeping, such as carpets and rugs. The tensioning device can also be adjusted to cause the broom straws on both sides of the broom to be either less resilient or more resilient.

Other novel features of construction will hereinafter more clearly appeal' in the detailed description and the appended claims.

The invention is satisfactorily illustrated 95 in the accompanyingdrawing, but the important mstrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown and described, as long as they are within the spirit or scope of the claims Figure l represents a side elevation of a broom eml'iodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents a vertical section of a portion thereof on line 2---2 Figure 3.

Figure 3 represents a transverse section on line 3-3 Figure 2, onV an enlarged scaleo Figure at represents a perspective view of a cap employed.

Figure 5 represents a perspective view of the detachable side arms employed.

Figure 6 represents a longitudinal section of the arm shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 represents a perspective view of a frame employed.

Figure 8 represents a perspective view of an encircling` bandof a plurality of straps for the broom, and straps therefor.

Figure 9 represents a perspective view of eoncaved guide roller bearings appliable to the side arms for guiding the tension straps therein.

Figure l0 represents a side elevation of a pressure spring appliable to the sides of the side arms.

Figure lli. represents a transverse vertical Serial No. 544,139.

section of a detached portion, on line ll-ll Figure 8.

litigare l2 represents a perspective view of a portion of one of the side arms employed.

Figure 13 represents a section of a screw or button for adjusting the frame in position on the sleeve of the handle of the broom. y

Figure lt represents a vertical section of a detached portion, showing the manner of locking the side arms to the cap.

Figure l5 represents a horizontal section on line 15-15 Figure 8.

- Figure 16 represents a perspective view of the lower end portion of the side arms.

Similar' numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings,

l designates the handle of a broom embodying my invention. A sleeve 2 is fixed to the-lower end of the handle by means of a fastening device 2W and such lower end has a chamber 3, the walls of which are divided in quarter or other sections 3X, and are adjusted outwardly by the screw 4t, see Figures 2 and 3. 6 is a screw engaging a core 5 at the upper end of the stub handle 5X and said core has an annular bead 3m; so that when the core 5 is assembled in the chamber 3, there will be a perfect. fit, yet the frictional grip between the parts will be reduceda and the parts will be easy of separation.

The core 5 is split to form the quarter or other sections 3XX and has the central aperture 36 bevelled at its upper portion, as at 35, so that by adjustment of the screw 6 the core 5 can be expanded or permitted to contract. The sleeve 2 has a cap 7 fixed to it. The construction of the cap 7 is best seen in Figures 2 and t and such cap has four sides turned down from the top which lat-ter has an opening 7X to receive the sleeve 2. The opposite sides 8 have their lower ends turned inwardly and upwardly forming hook shaped flanges 9. The top has the slots l0 in proximity to the downwardly inclined side flanges l2 which act as springs against whichthe side arms 13 rest and which hold them in an extended position. The top has the lower ends of the sleeve 2 in the openings 7X. The sleeve 2 is fixed to the stub handle 5 by the screw 2X. 13 designates side arms or .channel formation. wligih taper downf wardly and are narrower at their lower portions so as to receive and embrace the opposite edge portions ot the head 42 of the broom. The side arms 13 terminate at their upper ends in channelled tongues 14;, see Figures 5, 12 and 1.4. The juxtaposed walls of the side arms rest on the spring flanges 12 of the cap 7, see Figure 141, and the channelled tongues extend into the apertures 1() and bear against the bottom tace of the top of the cap 7. The channelled ends of the tongues 14 rest against thel inner face of the spring flanges 12 locking them to said cap 7, see Figure 14.

15 designates a` resilient frame formed ot 'spring material and having an apertured y base to adapt it tobe adjustably mounted on the sleeve 2. The trame 15 has four upwardly directed arms, see Figure 7 the upper ends of two of which are curved outwardlyvand downwardly, as at 16, and provided with slots 17. 'Ihe other two arms are arranged opposite to each other and one ot them has a button 15X and an inturned locl ing tongue 34, see Figure 7, which is adapted to enter a desired crosswise opening in the sleeve 2', see Figure 1.

The side arms 13 embrace the opposite edges of the broom' head and serve also as guides for straps 13 which are made preferably of spring metal and have the lugs 30V both of which pass between concave rollers 19, see' Figures 6, 9 and 19, and over an inwardlydefiected opened strip 19x, Jforming a shoulder 19XX which limits the movement of' juxtaposed strapY in one direction. The

p axles 20 see Figures 5 and 16, of the rollers 19 pass through slots 20X in the side arms 13 and are then bent laterally, see Figure 5, to secure them in position. The straps 18 pass through openings 13Min the shoulders 13`` see F igur'e 6, and also Figure 12. The lower ends of the slide arms 13 are deflected laterally and inwardly and are scalloped, see Fig ure 16. The straps 18 have the lugs 30, see Figures 1 and 6, which when the straps 18 arev raised 'and have the lug 30 interloclred with the scallops 30 will prevent oscillating` movement ot the straps 18 in the side arms 13 in which they vare guided, making the straws stiff onboth sides of the broom at the saine time, The upper ends of the straps 1S lare in the yterm of T-sha'ped heads 21, see

Figure 5, which are sprung into the slots 17 of the vtrame 15, see Figures 1 and 7. The si-des of the side arms 13 near their upper portion, see Figure 6, have the end 13XXX which pla-y within the hook shaped flanges 9f of the cap 7, see Figures 2 and 4, holding said' `parts close together'. Y `he lowerend'of the straps 18 are enlared and 'slotted as at 22, see Figure 8, ant one-section on each strap 1S thus formed has its Vouter free end inturned to, form flanges see Figures 1 1 and S. i

The lower end of each enlarged section of a strap 1S is aperturei'l and has in the upper and lower walls ot' such aperture the outwardly directed recesses` The function ot these recesses 23 is to receive the locking ends ot the straps 25 tour ol which are employed. The locking end 2l is torn/led by bending the Atree end ot a strap inwardly and then outwardly and in assembling a strap it passes into the oppositcly disposed recesses 23 in rear ot the tongues formed by recesses and its 'tree end then extends outwardly through other recesses 23, as will be understood bj; Figures S and ll. l have shown a plurality ol recesses so that oppo site straps can be relatively adjusted in arf-- cordancc with thc thickness ol the broom which is employed. The straps 25 l'orlu an encircling band 2G. A strap 25 on one side of the broom is lnforided in proximity to its tree end with the serrations 27 with which are adapted to engage one ot the clips 2S carried by a juxtaposed strap 25. The two overlappingstraps 25 on one side of the broom are provided with the grasping po1jtions or finger portions 20 whereby the longitudinal zuljusl'incnt o' such straps can be adjusted. rlhe two straps 25 on the. opposite Side of the broom overlap cach other and each strap 2 is provided with a clip 2S which overlaps the juxtaposed .strips und holds ihcm together, sce Figure i The sidc arms 13 are rcsilicntly held agaiiistthe spring langes l2 oi the cap 7 by means ot thc springs FL. scc more particularly Figures l and l.().

The operation will now be clear to those skilled in this art and is as follows:-

lVhen it is desired to assemble a broom head with respect to the handle. ihc stub 5 is inserted into the position secu in Figure 2 and the screws 2" screwed into blacc. Re` liorc this` is done. thc straps ./.5 at the rear of Figure S are opened and when such stra )s are raised to (flisconnect the clips 2S. the lccliing together ot' the overlap Jing straps 25 seen at the .trout portion of figure S is not effected bci'fausc ot'lhc divided end of the strap 13 to which they are connected.

Assuming now that the parts are in the position seen in Figure l, the parts arc so adjusted that the straps '18 are troc to more in onc direction and their movement in the opposite direction will be limited by thc shoulders lil. efec Figure i. ll' thc broom is now moved so that the tace of the broom seen in Figure l is movingr nearest to the floor in a sweeping direction, the strails ld will abut against thc shoulders 1W so that when such side ol: the broom is used the straws will be still, that is. ihc broom corn below' the encircling band 2G will all bc s'tifl and relatively hard and less resilient. lt new the broom is used to sweep in the opposite direction. in other words, the oppoliti lau

site sideof the broom is being used, the straps 18 will be free to move until they abut against the side of the side arms 13 so that the broom straws will have more play above and below the encircling band 26 and will be more resilient and will not be so stiff as they were before. They can thus be used Vfor soft and light sweeping.

ln the operation thus described, the lock ing member 34+., see Figure 7, is in the lowermost slot or opening 88, seeFigure 1. If .it is desired to have the broom straws hard and lessflexible when the broom is used for sweeping in either direction or, in other' words, when either side' of the broom is t0 be used as in sweeping back and forth, the trame 15 is raised until the locking member 84 engages the slot 8S marked Hard, see Figure 1. W'hen the straps 18 are raised in this manner, their lugs or ribs 30 will engage the scallops 80X, see lligure 16, on the side arms 13, so that relative lateral or oscillating-movement of the straps 18 in the side arms 13 is prevented and the broom straws will now be hard and less resilient on both sides of the broom at the same time irrespective of the 'direction in which the sweejiiing action takes place or the side of the broom which is being used. If the encircling band 26 is now adjusted to a higher position or, in other words, in proximity to the lower ends of the side arms' seen in Figure 1, the broom straws below the encircling band will be flexible and` resilient on both sides of the broom at the same time or, in other words, softer, irrespective of which side of the broom is used in sweeping.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the tensioning device can be adjusted so that when one side ofthe broom is used the broom straws will be hard and when the opposite side of' the broom is' used, the broom straws will be soft and flexible.

Then the tensioning device is llocked b v the engagement of thelocking lugs or ribs 8O with. the scallops 80X, both sides of the. broom will be hard and relatively stift' irrespective of the direction in which the sweeping action takes place.

rlhe tensioning device can also be adjusted so that both sides of the`broom will be soft and flexible irrespective of the direction in which the sweeping action takes place, that is. when both sides of the broom are being used. 4 Y j The encircling band 26 can be longitu dinally adjusted and if it is desired to tighten the band around the broom, the grasping handles 29 are moved toward each other thereby drawing together the overlapping` straps 25 to which they are connected. This causes the enlarged head sections to which they are connected to press inwardly on the inwardly and laterally deflected tongues which will at the same! time adjust the opposite straps 25, see more particularly Figure 11, so that the effective length of' the encirclingband 26 is reduced. By a reverse adjustment the effective length of the encircling band can be increased. if it is desired to decrease the width between opposite straps 25, see Figure 8, the locking ends 24 at each outer end of the straps 25 are removed from the outer recesses 28 with `which they engage and are moved into engagement with the inner' recesses 28., so that tie straps 25 on either side of the broom will then be closer together and will more firmly grip the broom straws, it being understood that the two straps at each end may be adjusted in the same manner. The rear straps 25 seen in Figure 8 can be openedv without affecting the locking engagement of a clip 28 with the serrations 27, since when such straps are raised to open them the inwardly projecting tongues 22X will more freely inwardly without engaging the opp@ site enlarged head section, while when the two straps 25 on the front side seen in Figure 8 are drawn together, the head sections to which they are connected will en gage and press inwardly the deflected tongues 22 and therefore drawl inwardljY thevhead section to which it is connected which will draw the straps 25 0n the opposite side of the band 26 together also.

It will be understood from Figure 14 that the side arms 18 are locked with respect to the cap 7, see Figure 4t, since as seen in Figure 14e, the side flanges of the locking tongues 141- will engage the inner wall of the spring flanges 12 and thus prevent the disengagement of the side arms 13 from the cap 7. The rollers 19, see Figure 9, between which the strap 18 passes are made concave so as to reduce the wear on the plating of such strap 18 and also so as to permit the lugs 8O to 'freely pass between them.

Having thus described my invention. what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a broom tensioning device, a longitudinally adjustable 4band encircling the sweeping part of the broom, straps at the edges of the broom and connected with said band.. supporting means for said straps and means co-operating with said straps to perH mit their moven'ient in one direction and to restrict their movement in an opposite direction.

2, In a broom tensioning device. a longitudinally adjustable band encircling` the sweeping part of the broom, straps at the edges of the broom and connected with said band, supporting` means for said straps, means co-operating with said straps to permit their movement in one direction and to restrict their movement in an opposite direction, and inea-ns to lock said straps to l OU prevent their movement in either direction with respect to their supporting means.

3. ln a broom tensioning device, a band encircling the sweeping part of the broom, straps connected with said band and ex tending` upwardly along the edges of the broom, side arms embracing the head of the broom and in which said straps are guided, said side arms having means to limit the movement of said straps in one direction, said side arms and straps having adjustable interlocking means to prevent relative lateral movement of said straps in said side arms, and a frame connected with said straps and provided with means to lock it in the position to which it has been adjusted.

a. ln a broomtensioning device, an en.- circling band engaging the broom straws, al cap fixed to the broom and having spring side flanges, side arms embracing opposite edges of the head ot the broom detachably connected with said cap and adapted to rest on said side flanges, resilient means to draw said side arms toward each otherl and against said `side flanges, straps connected with said band and guided in said side arms, and a frame to which said straps are connectedand provided with` means to lock it with said handle.

A5. In a broom tensioning device, the combination with a broom, oli a cap fixed to the broom handle and having oppositely disposed spring flanges and apertured in proximity to said flanges, side arms having locking tongues entering said apertures and engaging the inner walls of said spring flanges, said Side arms being adapted to embrace opposite edge portions of the broom head, a frame sl'idable on said handle'and having a locking member engaging said handle to secure the frame in adjusted positions, straps guided in said side arms and connected with said frame, said side arms having an inwardly deflected .portion to limit lateral movement of said straps` in one direction, said side arms having scallops, lugs on said straps to engage said scallops and prevent relative lateral movement of said straps and side arms when the straps are raised. and a longitudinally and laterally adjush able band to surround the broom straws and connected with. said strap.

6. In a broom tensioning device, theI coinbination with a broom, of a sleeve fixed to the handle, a cap secured to said sleeve, side arms to embrace opposite edges of the broom head and detachably connected withsaid cap, resilient means connected with said side arms to draw them toward each other. a frame adjustable on said sleeve and having means to interlock therewith, straps connected with said frame and guided by said side arms, said side arms having means to limit lateral' movement yof said straps in one direction, and a band connected with the lower ends of said straps and adapted to encircle the broom straws.

7. In a broom tensioning device, an encircling band adapted to surround thc broom straws and comprising a plurality of straps having their ends overlapping, each strap having a clip to engage the juxtaposed strap, the strap at one side having serrations with which the clip of its juxtaposed strap is adapted to engage, straps having aI slot at their lower ends contributing to form enlarged head sections, each o1" which is apertured, the opposite upper and lower walls of such apertures having recesses, thc straps in proximity to said head sections having deficcted locking portions to scat in said recesses, one head section of each strap having a tongue to overlap thel juxtaposed. head section, and supporting means carried by the broom and to which said straps are connected.

8. ln a broom tensioning device, the combination with a broom, of a sleeve connected with the handle, a cap secured to said sleeve and having spring flanges, side arms movably connected withsaid cap and adapted to embrace opposite portions of the broom head, resilient means to hold said side arms against the spring flanges 'of said cap, said side arms having inwardly deflected open strips having shoulders at one end there of, a trame adjustable on said sleeve and having means to interlock therewith` straps connected with said frame guided by said side arms having their lateral movement in one direction limited by said shoulders of said strip and being free to move in the opposite direction, and a band encircling said broom straws and connected with said. strap.

9. broom tensioning device, comprising a sleeve adapted to be connected with the broom handle, a cap fixed to said sleeve, side arms movably connected with said cap and adapted to embrace opposite portions of the broom head, resilient means to draw said side arms towards each other, concave rollers carried by said side arms, straps guided by said rollers and free to move laterally in one direction, said side arms having means to limit the movement of said straps in an opposite direction. a traine adjustable on said sleeve having means to interlock therewith to secure it in its adjusted position and connected with said straps, and a longitudinally and laterally adjustable band connect ed with said straps and adapted to surround the broom straws.

SI'EPHEN G. LSON. Witnesses:

JQHN A. WIEDEBsrmIM,

BUBSINGER, 

